Steve Forbes on Principles & Values

2000 Republican Primary Candidate for President

Withdraws, saying “money well spent”

Quipping that “ we were nosed out by a landslide,” Steve Forbes yesterday ended his costly quest for the Republican presidential nomination. “Today I am withdrawing from the presidential contest, but I’m not withdrawing from the
public square,” Forbes said Campaign workers applauded a final reprise of the flat tax, anti-abortion speech he’d used throughout the campaign. Forbes said he left with no regrets, offered no candidate endorsements, and said
no to the question of running for the Senate from New Jersey this year. Forbes spent more than $30 million of his publishing fortune for the 2000 campaign. He said it was money well spent because he’d moved the Republican
debate toward his conservative agenda. “And that agenda will come to pass, mark my words,” said Forbes. Forbes decided to quit the race after running third, with 20% of the vote, in the Delaware primary.

Source: Boston Globe, p. A40
, Feb 11, 2000

‘New birth of freedom’ applies to all policies

As President, I will tear down the walls of big government and create a ‘new birth of freedom’ for all Americans: Freedom to be born and grow up in personal safety and prosperity. Freedom to choose an honest, simple flat tax. Freedom to choose a new
Social Security system of Personal Retirement Accounts. Freedom to choose schools that work and doctors you trust. Freedom from fear of missile attacks and a loss of American security and sovereignty.

Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
, Jan 13, 2000

Political freedom exists only when government is limited

There is something fundamentally unfair about a government that takes away so much of people’s money, power, and personal control while telling them that life will be better as a result. Genuine political freedom exists only when the power of centralized
government are limited, checked, controlled, and balanced. As our federal government has grown too large and too powerful, the real loss has been the freedom of people to govern their own lives and participate fully in the American dream.

Source: “A New Birth of Freedom,” p. 4-5
, Nov 9, 1999

American dream is to discover & develop our potential

We believe in the American dream, because we’ve had a chance to live it. The American dream isn’t about the accumulation of material things. It is much deeper and more profound than that. The essence of the American dream is the understanding that we
are here on this earth and in this land for a higher purpose: to discover-and develop to the fullest-our God-given potential. Anything that stands in the way of the dream, we must fight. Anything that enhances the dream, we must support.

Source: “A New Birth of Freedom,” p. 5
, Nov 9, 1999

Self-governance requires moral fabric

We in America are discovering that capitalism and democracy are not enough to sustain a healthy, vibrant society. We are learning the hard way that a self-governing nation must consist of self-governing individuals. A breakdown in the moral
fabric of society has dire consequences. An explosion of violence, crime, drug use, sexual promiscuity, and out-of-wedlock births undermines the blessings of liberty and prosperity.

Source: “A New Birth of Freedom,” p. 132
, Nov 9, 1999

“A new birth of freedom” of schooling, investing, & security

The basis of my campaign, “A new birth of freedom,” comes from Abraham Lincoln’s words in Gettysburg, “that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom.” Whether it’s the freedom to be born, freedom to choose your own schools
for your children, freedom to choose your own doctor, freedom for young people to choose where their Social Security money is invested, freedom to be safe and secure in this world, it all ties together. And I’d ask for your support.

Source: Republican Debate at Dartmouth College
, Oct 29, 1999

“Life, liberty, & happiness” are in a particular order

The order of [our Founding] rights - first life, then freedom, and then the equal opportunity to pursue one’s own happiness - was written with great care and precision, not haphazardly. The Founders understood the need to balance man’s right to be free
with man’s responsibility to be honest, just and fair. Switch the order of these fundamental human rights - putting happiness before liberty, or liberty before life - and you end up with moral chaos and social anarchy.

Source: www.forbes2000.com “Moral Compass”
, May 21, 1999

American definition of “freedom”

Americans have always defined true freedom as an environment in which one may resist evil and do what is right, noble and good without fear of reprisal. It is the presence of justice, tempered with mercy. It is a rule of law based on fundamental and
moral truths that are easily understood and fairly and effectively administered. Freedom is neither a commodity for dictators to distribute and deny at will nor a moral, spiritual or political vacuum in which anything goes.

Source: www.forbes2000.com “Moral Compass”
, May 21, 1999

For 80 years, we focused on war; now focus at home

If we remove certain obstacles, America can enter into the greatest boom in our history, and also improve the quality of life in our country. We have had 80 years of warfare in this century, two World Wars, Great Depression, 40 year Cold War. Our
energies were devoted to winning those conflicts against totalitarian powers. Now that we’ve triumphed, we can redirect our energies to renewing the American experiment and the American dream here at home.

Source: Speech at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
, Nov 27, 1995

Values and economics are one and the same

Some pundits seem to think that a difference exists between values and economics. I think is a false one. In America, they are one & the same. By values, I mean hard work, thrift, faith, trust, a belief in individual opportunity and responsibility, a
belief in progress, and a belief that we’re on this earth & in this land for a higher purpose. You don’t succeed in the American economy unless you are truly serving the needs of others. There is this moral foundation that tends to get overlooked.

Source: Speech at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
, Nov 27, 1995